More News on the Waterway

On Sunday we traveled past one of the more sublimely beautiful scenes on The Waterway, The White Cliffs of Epes...After cruising through the Florida Keys, up the Hudson River, island hopping in The North Channel and meandering along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, the landscapes from Chicago to Mobile are pretty forgettable. Don't get me wrong, we've seen some lovely sights along this section of the blue highway, but it won't be the visual highlight of the loop. I did a bit of research to see if I could find out more about these majestic 200' cliffs that go on no more than a half-mile. Thanks to the river guidebook, I was ready with camera in hand at mile 249! I couldn't find out much online, but our own conclusion is it is some kind of geological anomaly. Several more miles down river another row of cliffs, much higher, but not as starkly white...less dramatic....but over 400', dotted the shoreline...Again, not much on google other than the blog entries of fellow loopers who made their way through this neck of the woods before us.

At mile 225 we found ourselves exactly half-way between the Tennessee River and Mobile Bay! Then at mile 217, another milestone, we passed the mouth of the Black Warrior River. We put the Tenn-Tom charts away and opened the Black River-Tombigbee Waterway charts...our last chartbook of the river system on The Great Circle Loop...I can almost smell salt in the air!

At the Demopolis Lock we waited over an hour while a northbound tug with 18 barges in tow came through. I still can't get over how they squeeze them in there! It was raining and cold, but I still went topdeck to get some neat pictures of the water cascading over the rocks and dam on the other side. For at least 6 miles past the lock the sides of the waterway became a beautiful smooth rockface wall, shaped by years of water rushing along the banks...here it is easy to mark the differences between the man-made channels that connect the God-made rivers that are bringing us south...

We are glad to have an electronic chart plotter, as many of the buoys are down due to the latest tropical storm, Ida, that made its way right up the path of the rivers just a month ago.

Monday was another long day...we arrived at Bashi Creek, mile 145, with just enough daylight to get both the stern and bow anchors set. When Chip turned into the creek I gave him one of those looks that said, 'you've got to be kidding me'! --From the bow I mouthed to him, "what is our depth?", he replied with both hands up, full-fingered...Hmmmm, 10 feet, interesting. Keep in mind, the width of this creek is less than 40'...you do the math.

~Well, we had no cell phones or internet service (we are in the middle of nowhere)...But, I had a delicious dinner cooking by 6:30...the wine cork was popped and we settled in...We are keeping the movie selection varied. So far this week we've watched Raging Bull, Blazing Saddles and Running with Scissors (thank goodness for $5 movies at Walmart, right?) Tuesday morning (today), it's raining again...We only went 26 miles and decided to stop at Bobby's Fish Camp...a bit of a let down...not at all what we expected after all the hype...It is not quite 5 PM central time and it's already dark outside...Tomorrow we will try to make it all the way to the Alabama River cut-off and anchor again. The last of the waterway locks (known as the dirty dozen) in Coffeeville is only a few miles from here...it also officially marks the very last lock of our entire trip! I haven't counted them all, but I'd guess we've locked through over 140 times...and I can start looking for alligators soon!

Old Man River

"Mee-zee-see-bee" which means, Father of all Waters
~ Ojibway Tribe

It's interesting to me, but as we turned into the Ohio River today I was struck with the thought that it seemed a more 'feminine' river that the Mississippi...not thinking for a moment about the song, Old Man River, but just noticing the 'softer' shoulders...the gentle way the banks rolled down to the water's edge...then tonight I listened to the song, as sung by Judy Garland, and I knew that 'Old Man River' was Mother Nature's way of wearing the pants...tough and sturdy and dirty and forceful...It was a great 4 days cruising down this magnificent body of water...even in the quiet boredom, mile after empty mile, it was filled with something deeper than words...a lone bald eagle perched on a rock jetty...a breathtaking sunset...it truly is the Father of all Waters...

~and, How could I ever conclude our trip down the Mississippi without mention of one of its more famous steamboat pilots: Mark Twain? Born in Hannibal Missouri as Samuel Clemens in 1835, he took the pen name Mark Twain after the term of measurement. A fathom being 6 feet, and a twain being 2 fathoms...the deck hands would yell out "Mark Twain" to notify the pilots of the depth of the river...his stories have brought the river life to readers around the world...

We are ahead of schedule...not that we actually have a schedule...Originally I thought we'd be on the Cumberland River by month's end, but at this rate we should be there either tomorrow or Wednesday. We aren't supposed to be at the rendezvous in Joe Wheeler State Park until the end of next month...so I would say we're going to have some down time coming up soon....I am looking forward to a little chill time in the Kentucky Lakes...maybe get my paints out...read a few books. After spending 6 of the last 9 nights on the hook, The Green Turtle Marina is going to look good to this weary first mate.

Tonight we are anchored on the Illinois side of the Ohio River in a town called Metropolis, best known as the hometown of Superman...It's a good safe spot, off the path of tug traffic, tucked in under a RR bridge behind a floating Harrah's Casino...

Ithaka~ the poem

Discovering Ithaka~ a journey "home"

In 1911, Greek poet, C.P. Cavafy wrote the intensely beautiful poem, Ithaka. It describes Odysseus' journey back to his island home of Ithaka after the end of the Trojan War. I came upon this poem quite by accident about 20 years ago and immediately it became one of my most favorites. I always kept a copy of it folded in my wallet, which I took out to read from time to time when I needed to remind myself that "life is about the journey, not the destination"...

When Chip and I bought our boat we went through the process of naming her much the same way as you do when you give birth. Knowing that once she's named, it is for always. (It's supposedly bad luck to change the name of a boat)...Being that she is an amazing shade of red, we thought we would give her a name which also described her appearance. Some of the finalists were "Red Shoes"...or "Ruby Slippers"...I am a big Wizard of Oz fan and I thought about Dorothy clicking her heals together, her red shoes getting her home. Then we liked "Pepe Caliente", Hot Pepper, but decided that was a bit too spicey for a trawler going 8 knots. We also considered Red Dawn and even thought a great big "SOLD" painted across the back of her would be clever. Then, one day it hit me...Ithaka. Perfect. The journey, yes! I read the poem to Chip and that was it, right then and there...our boat was Ithaka.

So, for all of you who have asked or wondered, here is the inspiration for naming our boat...

When you start your journey to Ithaka, pray the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Cyclopes or the angry Poseiden.
You will never meet such as these on your path
if your thoughts remain lofty,
if a fine emotion touches your body and your spirit.
You will never meet these monsters if you do not carry them in your soul,
if your soul does not raise them up before you.

Then pray that the road is long.
Pray that the summer mornings are many,
that you enter ports seen for the first time with such pleasure,
with such joy!
Stop at Phoenician markets and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
pleasurable perfumes of all kinds,
as many as you can;
visit hosts of cities
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.

Always keep Ithaka fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry your voyage at all.
It is better that it take many years;
even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all you have gained along the way,
not expecting that Ithaka will offer you riches.

It is Ithaka that has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have taken the path.
But she has nothing more to give you.
And if when you return you find her poor,
Ithaka has not defrauded you.
With great wisdom you have gained,
with so much experience,
you must surely have understood by then what Ithakas mean.

Amen